From Ancient Aristocracy to Blood Sport

Origin of the Greyhound -Ancestors of sighthounds first appeared among Middle Eastern
nomadic peoples. In a movable camp setting, it was common for dogs to follow the
camp, eating from its trash. The presence of these dogs was tolerated because of
the guard service they provided. But the dogs were regarded as wild and
disagreeable, as evidenced by most references to dogs in the Bible, with the
exception of Proverbs 30:29-31, which praises greyhounds by name. At some point,
a special kind of dog that could hunt along with humans was discovered or bred.
These sighthounds were given a special place inside the camp or even inside the
tents so that their breeding might be controlled. Some of the oldest known
depictions of greyhound-like dogs: in Turkey
in temple drawings from 6,000 BC, and in Iran
on a 4,000 BC funerary vase.

Ancient Egypt - In Egypt, the ancestors of
modern greyhounds were used in hunting and kept as companions. Many Egyptians
considered the birth of such a hound second in importance only to the birth of a
son. When the pet hound died, the entire family would go into mourning. The favorite hounds of the upper class were mummified and
buried with their owners. The walls of Egyptian tombs often were decorated with
images of their hounds. An Egyptian tomb painting from 2200 BC portrays dogs
that look very much like the modern greyhound. Many Egyptian pharaohs, including
Tutankhamen and Cleopatra, are known to have owned greyhound-type dogs. The
Egyptian god Anubis, a hound-type dog, is frequently displayed on murals in the
tombs of the Pharaohs.

Ancient
Greece -
The first breed
of dog named in western literature is mentioned in The Odyssey, written
by Homer in 800 BC. Odysseus is away from home for 20 years fighting the Trojans
and trying to get home against the opposition of the god Poseidon. When he
finally returns home, he disguises himself. The only one to recognize him was
his sighthound Argus. Art and coins from Greece depict short-haired hounds
virtually identical to modern greyhounds, making it fairly certain that the
greyhound breed has changed very little since 500 BC.

The Greek gods were often portrayed with greyhounds. A hound often
accompanies Hecate, the goddess of wealth. The protector of the hunt, the god
Pollux, also is depicted with hounds. One myth tells of how a human named Actaeon
came upon the goddess Artemis taking a bath in a river. She punishes his
impropriety by turning him into a stag. He is then hunted down by his own hounds. Depictions of
this scene occur many times in Greek and Roman art.